Constant
by Sara Sidle Grissom
Summary: The changes in the team have got Reid worried. JJ is there for him to talk to, will he allow himself to open up to her? JJ/Reid. Work in progress.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Just a little idea that popped into my head. Meant as a one shot, but could be expanded. Let me know what you think!_

 **Constant**

* * *

"What's got you musing?" JJ asked as she watched her friend on their journey back towards Quantico. She was concerned for the younger man, she could see his brows furrowed and the fact that he hadn't turned a page in a full five minutes told her something was definitely occupying his brilliant mind.

"Hmm?" Was Reid's response as he looked up at her, forcing a small smile. "Oh, I was just thinking," he deflected, closing the book and putting it on the small table. "Why?"

JJ smiled genuinely at him, "I can see something is bothering you Spence, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" She asked, looking deeply into his hazel eyes.

Reid looked down for a moment, forced to by her intense stare. It was sometimes very hard to maintain eye contact with her because sometimes it felt as if her blue eyes could see right through him, right through every white lie, right through every word left unsaid. He let out a deep sigh before looking back up at her, "I miss him," he said softly, giving her a small sheepish smile and a shrug.

JJ's gaze softened a little. Derek Morgan leaving the team had been hard on all of them, but especially hard on Reid. He'd viewed the man as a stable person in his life, an older brother he could always go to for advice. The team was changing rapidly and JJ knew it was only a matter of time until another member would either join or leave the team.

"We all do," she said gently and waited until he looked into her eyes again, "but that's not all, is it?" She asked gently.

Reid let out another sigh and swallowed the lump in his throat. "It's not, but this is not the right time and place," he said, hoping she would understand and leave the topic alone for now.

JJ nodded, understanding, "Soon though, right?" She asked.

"Soon," Reid confirmed and grabbed his book again, attempting to focus his mind on the story. It wasn't working, so in the end he decided to give up. He grabbed his jacket, bunched it up and used it as a pillow as he closed his eyes, worry still rushing through his body.

* * *

It had been several days since their short talk on the jet and they hadn't had time to get together and talk about it, to great frustration of JJ. This afternoon Reid had quickly left work, as if to make sure she wouldn't be able to catch him and talk. She sighed as she rinsed her coffee mug in the sink of the break room, ready to call it a day herself. If he wasn't going to come to her to talk, she would have to go to him.

After making sure her mom would be able to look after Henry and Michael for the night, she decided to head straight to Reid's apartment. Once there she got out, a little uncertain of how he would react to seeing his coworker at his door on a Friday night. She shook her thoughts and headed upstairs. She knocked at his door and waited.

"JJ?" Reid asked as he opened the door, he wanted to ask her why she was here, but he already had a feeling it had something to do with their conversation on the jet a couple of days earlier. "Come on in," he said and stepped aside.

As usual there were books everywhere and JJ smiled a bit to herself, some things never changed. She grabbed a few books from the couch and placed them on the coffee table so she could sit down. "You were in quite a hurry to get out of work, huh?" She asked as she waited for him to sit down in the recliner.

Reid nodded, slightly uncomfortable, "I think I was trying to avoid the inevitable," he said as he nervously looked down at his hands. "You wanted to know what was going through my mind on the plane, aside from missing Morgan," he said.

JJ smiled and gave a small nod, "You said you'd talk to me soon, I didn't expect I'd have to hunt you down for you to talk to me," she teased slightly and waited for him to continue.

"It's just that… everything is changing and I'm having a hard time adjusting to it all," he admitted, looking down at his fiddling hands. "And even though I know Morgan didn't walk out of my life, I can't help but get the same reaction I did like when my father left and then Gideon… and Emily."

JJ winced a little at the mention of their friend's name, she knew he had forgiven her and Hotch for what they had had to do, but it still hurt to hear him mention it. "You can't help but feel like people are leaving you," she said, waiting for his nod.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can deal with people leaving JJ," he admitted, his voice sounding small and on the brink of emotion pouring out. "What if Hotch decides he wants to spend more time with Jack and leaves?" He asked. "What if…" he started and took a deep breath, "what if you leave?" He asked, revealing the true point of his fear.

"I'm not going to leave Spence," JJ was quick to answer, waiting for him to look up at her.

"You can't promise that, and it's okay," Reid responded, looking into her eyes for a little while before back down at his hands. "I know Will wants you to be at home more, especially now with Michael."

JJ got up from the couch and moved over to the recliner. She kneeled in front of him so she could catch his eyes which were looking down at the floor. "I'm not leaving Spence," she said again, "I need money to provide for my boys, so I will continue working."

"What if Will wants you to quit? He can provide for you so you can be a stay at home mom," Reid replied, making himself look into her eyes.

"That's not going to happen, Will and I aren't together anymore," JJ replied gently. She swallowed the emotion rising in her throat at her statement, it was still fresh.

Reid's eyes widened and his head shot up somewhat, "What? Why didn't you tell us?" He asked. "Are you okay?" A million questions ran through his mind right now, but he needed to calm himself down, give her time to answer.

"It's only recently, but it's okay," JJ said as she wiped at her eyes. "It was a mutual decision. My mom is staying with the boys so I can go to work when I need to. Will and I have to work out the details, but we're getting a divorce."

Reid nodded a bit, soaking up the new information. "Wow… are you sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I am, and I know I will be because I have one constant in my life and that's you. You're always there for me and I will always be there for you. I will be your constant."

* * *

 **TBC?**


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews, I decided to continue this story. Not sure where it is going to take them, but I'm sure they will tell me. Hope you'll enjoy this. Can't wait to hear what you think._

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Her confession made Reid's throat tighten with emotion for just a moment. He liked her idea of them being each other's constant. "JJ… I'm not sure if that's something you can promise," he whispered, "I remember the last time you were taken away from us, that wasn't voluntary."

JJ gave a sad smile, "I know. I can't promise something like that won't happen again, but I can promise that I will do everything in my power to keep in touch with you and to see you as often as I can," she said and reached out to take his hand. "You mean so much to me Spence," she added and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You mean a lot to me too JJ," he replied, 'more than you'll ever know', he added in his own mind as he squeezed her hand in return. "And I want to be here for you as well, and for Henry and Michael, how're they doing?"

"Henry's adjusting, Michael is too young to understand" JJ nodded, which was exactly what it was. Some nights Henry would wake up crying and she wouldn't know what to do to calm him down again, other days he seemed to be okay with the whole situation. "They'll be okay, just as I'll be."

"If there's anything I can do for you…" Reid started and let out a deep sigh. "I care about them so much," he said.

JJ smiled and nodded, "And they care a great deal about you too," she replied. "You know, I think there is something you can do to cheer Henry up," she admitted. "How about coming to dinner tomorrow night? Teach him some magic tricks?"

"I'd love to," Reid replied with a smile, "I think he's ready for some more complex tricks right now," he nodded to himself, excited to be spending some time with his godson. "Thanks JJ."

"Thank you Spence," JJ smiled and gave his hand a final squeeze. "I'm glad we had this talk," she admitted before getting up. "So… I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow," Reid nodded as he got up with her, walking her to the door. "Goodnight JJ."

"Goodnight Spence," she replied and walked out the door.

* * *

"Spence!" Henry called out and wrapped his arms around his godfather's legs the minute he walked in. "I missed you!" He said, waiting for Reid to lift him into his arms.

"I missed you too bud, but remember what mommy always tells you? You have to use your inside voice when Michael's sleeping," Reid said as he held the boy in his arms.

Henry nodded, "Michael is not sleeping uncle Spence," he replied and pointed to the playpen where Michael was playing with the toys Reid had gotten him during the first visit.

Reid smiled gently at JJ, "I thought Michael would be asleep around this time," he said as he set Henry back down.

JJ chuckled gently, "Yeah, that's what I thought as well," she replied and ran a hand over her face. "He's been up most of the day, I need a nap," she laughed before taking Reid's coat. "I'm glad you could make it Spence," she said. "Henry needed this."

"Me too," Reid smiled, "on both accounts," he added as he walked with her towards the kitchen for a cup of coffee while Henry kept his little brother entertained. He couldn't help but look around the house a little bit, noticing that the family pictures had been taken from the walls and pictures of just the two boys were gracing them right now.

"I'm okay," JJ whispered gently as she handed him a cup of coffee, having noticed his glance around the house. "Truly."

Reid thanked her for the coffee and looked up at her, "Are you sure? If there's anything I can do to help or to just listen…" he rambled slightly but was stopped by her.

"Really Spence, just having you here right now is what keeps me sane," she admitted. "Just knowing you're always there for me is enough."

"I'll always be here for you JJ," Reid replied before taking a sip of his coffee.

"As I'll be here for you, so please stop worrying about that," JJ smiled and moved forward, placing her hands on his shoulders to make him look into her eyes. "I can't promise people will stop leaving your life, but I can promise I will never be one of them."

Reid swallowed the lump in his throat, "Thanks JJ," he whispered and was brought out of the moment by Henry coming up to ask if he had a new magic trick for him. Reid chuckled and set his coffee down. "I sure do buddy, do you have a deck of cards we can use?"

Henry nodded and made a run towards his room to get his magic set which had all kinds of decks of cards as well as other magic attributes.

Reid looked up at JJ, as if asking her permission to go off and play with Henry. He smiled when she gave him a nod and returned to the living room, soon joined by the young blond boy.

JJ leaned against her kitchen counter and watched the scene in front of her. A small smiled graced her lips as she watched her best friend and oldest son play together. She couldn't help but wonder how different things would've been had she never met Will. Would she have kids now as well? Would she be married? In a steady relationship?

She let out a deep sigh and for a moment allowed her thoughts to wander to her best friend. He was so much more than that, she realized. Would there have been a chance for them? Would there be one now?

She was shocked by her own thoughts as she continued to watch the younger man. He'd changed so much over the past few years. He'd grown up from this awkward kid to a man. A man she loved…

"Mommy! Spence teached me a new trick!" Henry's excitement broke her out of her trance. Instead of looking down at her son she couldn't help but look up at Reid, catching his eyes. She blushed before shaking her head from her inappropriate thoughts and kneeling down in front of her son.

"He taught you a new trick, huh?" JJ asked with a smile. "Well, why don't you try it on me?" She asked as she watched him shuffle the cards. He made her pick a card before sliding it back into the deck. She could notice what he was doing, and smiled when she was Reid realize he still needed to fine tune everything.

"Was this your card mommy?" Henry asked as he held up the Queen of Hearts.

JJ nodded with a bright smile, "It was, how did you do that?" She asked and pulled her boy close for a hug.

Reid chuckled, "Remember Henry…"

"A magishun never reveal his tricks mommy," Henry said proudly.

"That's right, a magician never does," Reid corrected.

Just when Henry was about to do another round his little brother started to fuss in his playpen, making JJ stand up. "I'll go change him and get him something to eat before I start our dinner, would that sound alright to you?" She asked Reid.

Reid nodded, "I'll keep this one entertained," he smiled, but couldn't help but notice the look in her eye had changed, wondering what was up with that. Before he had a change to ask if she was okay, however, the oldest LaMontagne had reclaimed his attention. Later, he would ask her about it later.

* * *

 **TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Wow, two chapters in one day, I must be on a roll. Hope you'll enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. Morgan will be making an appearance soon._

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

JJ stood in the doorway, taking in the sight of Reid reading a story to Henry and Michael on the couch. "Hey Spence, once you're done with the third story, mind helping me with the dishes?" She asked, a grin on her face.

Reid looked up with a blush, Henry and his little brother had him wrapped around their little fingers. If they wanted another story he'd give it to them, and another, and another. "Yeah, sorry, I got a little carried away," he confessed and ruffled Henry's hair. "Last one guys, momma's calling."

After one more story, and a little epilogue, Reid left the boys in the living room, making sure Michael was secure and wouldn't be able to get himself in trouble. He walked into the kitchen, looking at the mess on the counter.

"What happened to the dishwasher?" He asked as he grabbed a dishcloth, grabbing the first wet plate and drying it as he looked at JJ.

"It broke down last week, I have no clue how to fix it and I haven't had the time to call a guy for it," JJ replied. "It's actually quite relaxing to do dishes by hand, but I never realized how many plates and cups you use in a household with two young children.

Reid nodded a bit as he continued to dry the plates and glasses after she'd washed them. "You know, I could always have a look for you, see if I can fix it," he said with a small shrug. "I have a degree in engineering after all."

JJ looked up at him with surprise in her eyes, "You'd do that for me?" She asked as she dumped another pile of plates in the hot sudsy water.

"Of course," Reid nodded, "I'm not making any promises though. I'm more about the theoretical side, wouldn't call myself handy at all. Maybe we could ask Morgan…" he suggested, his voice dropping a little at the mention of their friend.

JJ placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's take a look and see if we can fix this together, if we can't we'll give him a ring, I'm sure he'd be up for it."

Reid nodded, "He would be," he agreed as they finished the dishes. As JJ poured the hot sudsy water down the sink she grabbed a little suds and blew it his way, making it stick to his cheek.

"I'm gonna get you back for that," Reid chuckled as he wiped the suds of his cheek and placed the dishcloth aside. "When you're least expecting it."

About an hour later JJ had brought Michael to bed and Reid was still trying to figure out how to get the dishwasher back in action, to no avail. He grumbled a little bit to himself as he sat down cross legged on the floor. He hated it when he wasn't able to figure something out.

"You know what Spence, why don't I get us some coffee and we'll call Morgan," JJ offered as she stood next to him. She offered him a hand and helped him stand up.

"Coffee sounds pretty good," Reid admitted. "Did Michael go down okay?"

"Mhmm," JJ replied as she started preparing their coffee. "He's just as easy as Henry was at that age, I realize how lucky that makes me," she added as she started the coffee maker. "Speaking of Henry, would you mind taking him upstairs?"

"I'd be honored," Reid smiled as he headed into the living room, scooping up his oldest godson. "Time for bed Mr Magician," he chuckled as he tickled the boy's sides.

JJ finished preparing their coffee and brought the two mugs to the living room, setting them down on the coffee table as she waited for him to return. She had meant it when she said they could call Morgan when he came back down, but she realized there was something more urgent she needed to address.

When Reid came back down he found her on the couch, nervously fiddling with her hands. "You okay?" He asked, instantly worried about her as he took a seat, facing her.

"Oh yeah, yeah I'm good," JJ smiled as she released her hands, rubbing them on her lap for a moment and taking the coffee mug. She blew on the surface for a moment before taking a sip. "How many stories did Henry make you read?" She asked, attempting a little more small talk before he would push her to speak her mind.

"Only two," Reid grinned proudly, "either he understood he needed to go to bed, or I'm getting better at telling him no," he chuckled and took a sip of his coffee as well. He looked back up at JJ, seeing something was still worrying her. "What's going on?" He asked gently. "Is this about you and Will…?"

JJ shook her head, "No it's… it's nothing like that, I'm okay, I promise," she said and placed her mug aside. She let out a deep sigh and looked down at her hands for a moment. "This afternoon I realized that… gosh I don't know how to do this," she admitted with a nervous chuckle, her cheeks flushed.

Reid was completely baffled, not sure what was going on. "JJ?" He asked, trying to make her look back up at his face. "What did you realize?"

JJ took a deep breath, "That my feelings for you are changing," she admitted, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Oh…" Reid said, feeling as if he'd been punched in the gut. He'd opened up about his feelings, about how he felt that everybody in his life was turning away from him. She'd promised him, and yet here the bad news was coming.

JJ could feel the shift in his mood and instantly recognized the look on his face. "Oh no Spence, not like that!" She exclaimed and moved closer, cupping his cheeks. "Not like that at all," she added, her voice quieter this time as she looked deeply into his eyes. Instead of telling him what she meant she leaned in, softly brushing her lips over his.

Reid was shocked by her actions, but couldn't help return the light kiss. He pulled back after just a short moment, "I don't understand…" he whispered, his cheeks flushed slightly at their previous action.

"I don't think being your friend is going to be enough for me," JJ admitted with a bright blush as she reached to take his hand. "I'd like to… be more than what we are," she whispered, awaiting his reaction.

Reid opened his mouth to say something, but no sound was coming out. He had trouble processing everything. Had JJ basically confessed her love to him? She wanted to be with him… romantically? "JJ, I don't know what to say…" he admitted, which was the truth.

JJ blushed a bright red, "I know this must be a lot to take in, and the timing is horrible," she admitted. "If you don't want this, that's okay," she added, feeling insecure at his lack of response.

"Oh no Jayje, I do want this," Reid whispered and reached up to cup her cheek, "so badly, I've wanted this for a long time," he admitted. "I just need to make sure you're okay… to take things slow, for you, for me, for the boys," he whispered.

"I'm fine with slow, as long as we're doing this together," JJ whispered.

"Together," Reid confirmed and brushed his lips over hers again, in a softer, but more urgent kiss. A kiss full of promises.

* * *

 **TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! On with the new chapter, let me know what you think :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"I should be heading home," Reid whispered against JJ's lips after a while, pulling back slowly, seeing her flushed cheeks which were probably matching his own. When he'd walked through that door earlier in the day he couldn't have predicted this was where they'd be right now.

JJ panted lightly and nodded, "Even though I don't want you to go, taking it slow means you should," she whispered and pecked his lips once more. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Reid nodded, "I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered and got up, heading to the hallway to grab his coat. He kissed her forehead and smiled. "Good night."

"Good night Spence," JJ smiled in return as she showed him out. Once she was sure he was on his way she closed the door, resting her back against it, a smile on her face. Telling him her feelings had been a difficult hurdle, but she knew the one that was coming was going to be even harder. She let out a deep sigh and headed towards the kitchen, making herself a mug of tea.

* * *

"Hey, you coming over for dinner again tonight?" JJ asked as she found Reid in the break room when she was heading in to grab a cup of coffee.

Reid looked up, dropping one more spoonful of sugar in his cup, "Uhm, yeah sure, are you sure that's not too much?" He asked, wanting to make sure they weren't moving too fast.

"What's not too much?" Garcia asked as she came in, finding her two friends huddled close together. She couldn't help but chuckle when Reid started to blush. "What did you do to our boy wonder here?" She asked as she looked at JJ.

"Nothing much," JJ shrugged, "I just asked if he wanted to come to dinner tonight since Henry has been asking," she lied smoothly, knowing Garcia would buy that story.

"And you didn't think to include me?" Garcia asked in a mock hurt tone before chuckling. "No worries peaches, I'm busy tonight," she said as she grabbed herself a cup of coffee. "I've got a hot date in case you were wondering."

Reid rolled his eyes slightly, "We weren't, but thank you for the information," he chuckled as he grabbed his cup, facing JJ once again. "Would six be okay for tonight?" He asked.

"Perfect," JJ replied.

"Anything I can bring?" Reid inquired.

JJ shook her head, "Maybe some tools to try and fix up the dishwasher?" She suggested once she was sure Garcia was out of ear range.

"Consider it done," Reid smiled and headed out, looking over his shoulder once more. "See you tonight then," he said before heading back to his desk. They were lucky there was no active case, which gave him time to focus on the pile of consults on his desk. It was clearly noticeable they were one agent short, the other desks had a larger pile than normal, of which Reid took most.

* * *

That night after dinner Henry was playing with Michael while Reid and JJ did the dishes again. This time Reid was washing the plates, so it was his turn to grab some of the suds and blow it onto JJ's cheek. "Told you I would be getting you back," he grinned.

JJ turned to him, narrowing her eyes as a grin graced her face. "That all you got?" She teased before grabbing a handful and rubbing it in his hair.

"Hey!" Reid replied before grabbing some as well. He wanted to return the favor but JJ had already made a run towards the living room, forcing him to chase her. "Wanna play hard ball huh?" He chuckled and chased her with his hands full of suds.

JJ yelped out when he reached her with big strides. She tried to cover herself, but he rubbed the suds all over her hair before pulling her into his arms, his face dangerously close to hers.

Reid wanted to do nothing more than to kiss her right there, but he knew they had an audience that hadn't been informed last night's conversation yet. He slowly and reluctantly pulled back. "Now, let me see if I can get the dishwasher back in order, because no matter how much fun this actually was, I don't think you'd want to be doing the dishes by hand every day."

JJ smiled, "Thanks Spence," she replied and walked back to the kitchen with him. Once there she gave him a quick peck on his cheek, having seen the look in his eyes. "Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked.

Reid nodded, "Would you mind calling Morgan, see if he has time? I'm sure I won't be able to fix this by myself."

"Sure thing, I'll get right on that," JJ smiled and headed back to the living room, grabbing her landline and dialing their friend's number.

" _If that isn't blondie," Morgan picked up with a grin on his face. "What can I do for you?"_

"Hey Derek," JJ smiled, "on a scale of one to ten, how tired are you with the baby around the house now that Savannah is back to work?" She asked.

" _Nothing our work hasn't prepared us for," Morgan grinned. "So, seriously, you're probably not calling to ask me that," he teased._

"You're right, I wasn't. Look, my dishwasher kinda broke down and Spence is here trying to help me fix it, but we could really use your help," she explained.

 _Morgan chuckled, "That's my brother, all theoretical," he replied and looked at his son. "I think I can squeeze in some time, Hank would love to spend some time with Michael and Henry if it's okay for me to bring him."_

JJ smiled, "Of course, thank you so much. We'll see you in a bit then?"

" _I'll be there as soon as I can, tell Reid to stop touching the dishwasher," he teased_.

* * *

When the doorbell rang, Reid couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. It had been a while since they'd seen Morgan, and for some reason it felt strange. When he heard the man's voice and heard JJ coo to Hank he couldn't help but grin.

"Pretty boy!" Morgan called out as he walked in, giving Reid a large brotherly hug, patting his back. "It's good to see you man, and to actually talk to another male adult."

"It's so good to see you too Morgan," Reid replied and looked past his friend, seeing JJ with Hank in his arms. "He's gorgeous," he said and walked over, taking Hank from JJ when Michael cried out for his mother's attention. "He looks exactly like you!"

Morgan grinned brightly and nodded, "Yeah, no question he's mine alright." He looked back at JJ, who had Michael in her arms by now. "Wow, he's grown a lot girl," he commented as he took the boy from her. "Speaking of looking like someone, are you sure this is a LaMontagne?" He asked.

JJ's cheeks flushed a bright red, hoping Reid would think Morgan was just teasing.

Reid's eyes flew to JJ, seeing the shock on her face. His eyes asked the question he didn't dare to speak. Was Michael his? JJ's eyes revealed the answer, which was supported by a small nod. "We'll talk later," she whispered.

"Okay, so this is awkward," Morgan replied, looking between his friends. "I better go check on that dishwasher," he said as he handed Michael back to JJ before making his way to the kitchen. He shook his head a little, letting out a deep sigh. "Oh boy…"

* * *

 **TBC**

* * *

 _A/N2: Oh yeah, I'm going to leave you hanging right here ;)_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Okay, so this was quicker than I thought. The moment I sat down to write this it seemed like somebody was taking over and just kept typing. Thank you for your reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. This was slightly hard to write, I hope I stayed true to the characters. Let me know what you think!_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Jayje?" Reid asked as he looked from his friend to Michael. He was incredibly confused and slightly hurt too. "Why haven't you told me?"

JJ looked down for a moment, feeling her throat tighten with emotion. "Now is not the time Spence, I'll explain everything, I promise… but not now."

Reid nodded a bit as he put Hank down in the playpen. "I'm going to help Morgan," he said, needing to pull himself away from this situation. All he needed and wanted right now was to go home and think, but he couldn't yet, so he decided to focus on something else.

"I'm sorry if I created some tension there," Morgan said as he watched Reid walk into the kitchen. "I was only teasing, I never even thought…" he continued, but was interrupted.

"Can we not do this right now?" Reid asked, slightly agitated. "I just… want to fix this thing and go home," he admitted.

Morgan nodded, "Alright, I'm sorry," he said again as they got to work, fixing the dishwasher in about half an hour. Morgan looked at Reid, "Should I go and leave you to talk?"

Reid let out a deep sigh and ran a hand over his face. Even though he didn't want to have this conversation right now, he knew it was inevitable. Besides, he needed some answers which would only drive him crazy otherwise. Eventually he nodded, "I'd appreciate it," he replied.

Morgan patted his back, "I'll see you soon man," he said and headed back to the living room. He said his goodbye to JJ and took his son, heading out.

Reid took a deep breath before heading into the living room. "Shall I put Michael to bed?" He offered, not wanting the kids to be around for the conversation they were about to have.

JJ nodded, "I'll take care of Henry," she said and headed towards the playroom to retrieve her oldest son.

Reid picked up Michael and headed upstairs. He couldn't help but look at the boy differently. Had Morgan really seen the resemblance? He wondered. It was true Michael seemed to have the same eye color as Reid did, but he couldn't detect anything else.

* * *

Half an hour later both adults were back downstairs in the living room. Reid sat on the far end of the couch, facing JJ. "Is it true?" He asked quietly, unable to look up at her, his hands trembling slightly.

"Yes," JJ admitted in a whisper, tears burning in her eyes. "I was going to tell you, I promise," she said. "This wasn't how I wanted you to find out."

"How long have you known?" Reid asked, finally daring to look up at her. "Did you know from the start?" He asked, his tone slightly accusative.

JJ shook her head, "I didn't. It wasn't until about four months ago when Will started to suspect something," she explained. "He forced a paternity test. When the results came back and we knew for sure he wasn't the father I knew. We didn't fight, it was just the last straw."

Reid swallowed and nodded a bit, still overwhelmed with the idea of having a son. Michael was his son. It was so hard to believe. "I don't know what so say JJ," he admitted. "I don't know what to feel."

"I can understand if you're angry Spence, if you need some time…"

"I don't know if I'm angry, I'm just very confused," he admitted. "I do need some time," he nodded as he got up. "I'll uhm… I'll talk to you later."

JJ nodded as she watched him go. When she heard the front door close she allowed her tears to fall. She hoped they would be okay, that he would be able to forgive her for not telling him the moment she found out. Of course the thought had crossed his mind when she told him she was pregnant, but he'd quickly shaken that thought.

* * *

 _18 months earlier_

" _Spence? What are you doing here?" JJ asked as she opened the front door further so he could come in. She locked it behind him and took his coat._

 _Reid walked in and turned around, "It's not fair JJ," he whispered, swallowing back his emotion._

 _She instantly knew he was talking about their former colleague and pulled him into her arms. "I know," she whispered and rubbed his back as he reluctantly hugged her back. "Why don't you sit and I'll get us something to drink," she suggested._

 _He gave a weak nod and shuffled to the couch. He sat down and let out a deep sigh, waiting for her to return._

 _JJ grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. She was glad Will was visiting family in New Orleans with Henry. Will had always been kind to Reid, but she knew their friendship was causing tension in their marriage at times._

" _I wanted to use again tonight Jayje," Reid admitted in a whisper, looking completely miserable. "I didn't know where else to go," he admitted._

 _JJ swallowed the lump in her throat, "Oh Spence," she whispered out and sat next to him, pulling him into her arms. "You know you're always welcome here," she said and rubbed his back, feeling how his tears started to wet her blouse._

 _They sat like that for what seemed like an eternity before they pulled apart. "Here, let's cheer to him and remember the good things," JJ said as she handed him a glass, grabbing the other as well. They clinked their glasses and took a large sip._

 _They spent the evening talking about Gideon and laughing about everything that'd happened when he was still on the team. One bottle of wine became two and by the third they were basically just giggling on the couch, huddled together._

 _JJ looked deeply into Reid's eyes, smiling down at him. "You know, I've always suspected he was behind our date," she grinned._

 _Reid shrugged and chuckled, "I guess that was the last push I needed. It was so wrong though, I'm still sorry about a terrible date."_

" _I'm not," JJ smiled, her face turning more serious, "granted things wouldn't have worked out then, you were still so young and naïve," she said. "You've grown so much Spence and I admire you for it," she added in a whisper and caressed his cheek._

 _Reid swallowed the lump in his throat as he leaned into JJ's touch, getting lost in her eyes. "Jayje…" he started, but she interrupted him._

" _Shh," she replied and leaned in, her lips brushing over his in a hesitant kiss._

 _It was probably the alcohol fogging his mind, but he immediately returned her kiss, deepening it slightly as a small groan escaped his throat. He moved more over her, rolling her underneath him on the couch as his kiss turned more demanding._

* * *

 **TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me to hear what you think._

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

A father, that was the last word he would use to describe himself, Reid thought as he paced his living room. Of course he'd wondered briefly when JJ announced her pregnancy if there was a slight chance the baby would be his. He'd brushed it off immediately, reminding himself that they'd been careful and that JJ was still married.

He let out a deep sigh as he let himself fall back on the couch. He was still as confused as when he'd left JJ's house earlier. It was true he wasn't angry at her, but he was disappointed, which was possibly worse. He hadn't been able to experience her pregnancy as a father, he hadn't been there for the birth of _his_ child. Yet, even JJ hadn't known at the time it was his. Or had she? No, she'd said she'd only found out four months ago, he had to believe her.

So what now? They'd just admitted their feelings to each other, and now this bombshell had been dropped, would they be able to get past this? He'd missed out on so many things a father would normally be involved in, yet there was still so much time to make up for it. If he got involved now, Michael wouldn't even know there had been _another daddy_ in his life before.

He rubbed his fingers over his temples, feeling a headache come on because of all the worrying he was doing. He took a deep breath and headed to the kitchen. After drinking a large glass of water he went to bed, knowing sleep wouldn't come tonight.

* * *

Upon arriving at work the next morning he could see JJ look his way, knowing she wanted to talk to him. He just couldn't bring himself to have that conversation yet, and certainly not at work. He was about to sit down at his desk when Hotch stood at the railing upstairs. "We have a case, let's meet in the conference room," he said.

Reid grabbed his mug of coffee and headed up the stairs, making sure to sit on the opposite side of the table from JJ, an action that didn't go unnoticed by her. He focused on the screen and Garcia, who told them their case would take them to Las Vegas. It seemed the local police was dealing with a serial killer, targeting rich tourists who were a little careless with their money.

"Alright, wheels up in thirty," Hotch spoke as the team scrambled to pick up their go bags and make any arrangements for their home life.

For JJ it meant having to call in her mom, to make sure she'd be able to stay with the kids. "Hey mom," she smiled when her mother picked up. "I have to go to Vegas in half an hour, can you relieve the sitter tonight and stay with them for a couple of days?" She asked. When her mother told her it was no problem she let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks mom, love you."

When she hung up the phone she turned around to see Reid quickly leaving the room. "Spence!" She called out, making a small jog towards him. "How uhm… how are you?" She asked, feeling silly. She knew he would still be incredibly confused, but she just wanted to know for sure he wasn't angry at her.

Reid had a hard time meeting her eyes. "Doing okay," he nodded a bit, "it's a lot to take in… and I still need more time to think," he admitted. "I better go pack my bag, I'll see you on the jet."

JJ nodded, "Of course, I'll see you in a bit," she said and let out a deep sigh. She hoped he wouldn't take a very long time to think about this, because she already missed him. She ran her hands over her face and shook her head a little bit as if to rid herself of any bad thoughts. She took a few moments to compose herself before heading out and grabbing her go bag.

Thirty minutes later they were all on the jet and on their way to Las Vegas, Garcia briefing them through their video connection. "So, we've got six victims so far, all from different countries," she said as she showed their pictures. "All men between the ages of thirty and fifty, traveling alone for either business or pleasure."

"All of them were strangled," Rossi said as he looked down at his tablet, "takes strength, but that doesn't mean we can rule out our UnSub is a female," he explained.

"The UnSub is quite likely to be a female actually," Reid interjected as he looked at his paper casefile. He was holding a picture of one of the victims, a close up of the ligature marks. "I think they were strangled using stockings," he explained, "it's clear to see if you look at the pattern that was left on the skin."

"So a woman targeting rich foreigners, that has got to narrow down our search," Tara said as she looked back at the computer screen as they continued their briefing.

* * *

A couple of hours later they walked into the Las Vegas police station. They'd been here a couple of times before, and this time Reid was planning to visit his mother like he'd done other times before. He hoped she would be having a good day once he got around to going to Bennington.

"I'm going to start our geographical profile," he said as he excused himself from the group, heading towards a large map that was pinned on a wall in a conference room. He grabbed different colored pins and started placing pins on the locations the victims were found, remembering the addresses from reading the case file on the jet.

JJ excused herself from the group a few minutes later, approaching him carefully. "Anything I can do to help?" She asked.

Reid turned around, a small frown on his face. "You never help me with the geographical profile," he started, but then understood what she was doing. "Ah…"

JJ couldn't help but blush a little at having been caught. "Look Spence, I know you need time and I understand and respect that, I just…" she started.

"You want to know if things are going to be okay between us," Reid completed her sentence, sensing her unease and fear on the topic. He let out a deep sigh. "Look Jayje," he started and looked around, making sure no one would overhear him. "There's a lot that has changed these past few hours, but my feelings for you haven't."

JJ let out a relieved sigh, feeling a few tears burn in her eyes. "Thank you, I needed to hear that," she whispered.

Reid nodded gently, "I know, I hope I put your mind at ease a little bit," he said. "Now I should get back to this," he pointed towards the map. "If you insist on helping you can tell me which hotels our victims were staying at," he said, even though he knew that already.

JJ smiled, "Thanks Spence," she said again and grabbed a case file, telling him the different hotels the victims were staying at. She looked at the map. "Does this make any sense to you?" She asked as she looked at the different colors and lines he had drawn.

"Not yet," Reid admitted, slightly frustrated. Normally five victims would be more than enough to give them an idea as to which location the UnSub would be located at.

"Shall I get you some coffee to help you think?" JJ offered.

"That'd be nice, extra sugar please," Reid said, his brow furrowed as he stared at the map.

"Extra? Are you…" JJ started and then just chuckled, shaking her head. "Coming up."

* * *

 **TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Thanks for your wonderful reactions, they mean a lot to me. Hope you'll enjoy the next piece!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

That night JJ just couldn't seem to fall asleep. She threw the covers aside, grabbed her clothes and headed into the little bathroom to change so she wouldn't wake Tara. Once she was dressed she quietly slipped out, heading downstairs to the bar. She ordered a martini and sat down, letting out a deep sigh.

"Something troubling you?" Rossi asked as he slipped on the barstool next to her. He smiled when JJ jumped lightly and turned towards him. He held up his hands, "sorry, didn't mean to startle you," he said and ordered a whiskey. "So?"

JJ let out a deep sigh, looking into her glass. She wasn't very keen on sharing the story with anyone else, but her conscience was heavy. "Yeah," she sighed out. "I just… it doesn't really feel right to talk about it," she admitted. "There's something I feel incredibly guilty about and I wish I could turn back time."

"And it has to do with our youngest member," Rossi said as he took a sip of his whiskey. He chuckled lowly at the surprise on JJ's face. "Remember we're all profilers here," he said. "It was clear to see he was trying to avoid you today, something is definitely on his mind. Whatever it is is probably the same thing you feel guilty about."

JJ nodded, "Promise you won't talk about this with anyone else?" She asked as she ate the olive before taking a sip of her martini.

"My lips are sealed," Rossi nodded as he turned slightly in his seat to face her more.

"About four months ago Will and I broke up," she started, receiving a nod from Rossi, "the reason we did, or well the final reason, was because we found out Michael isn't Will's son."

"He's Reid's," Rossi replied and took a sip. He wasn't all that surprised. He'd seen the resemblance between the young boy and their colleague.

JJ nodded, "We spent one night together after Gideon's death," she said, "we were careful though, so when I found out I was pregnant I was certain it wouldn't be his. But when Will started to doubt and wanted a paternity test we found out." She sighed deeply, tears burning in her eyes. "I kept it a secret from him for four months Dave, I'm a horrible person," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat as a few tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Listen to me Cara," Rossi started gently and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're not a horrible person, and I bet Reid doesn't think you are either. Yes you should have told him sooner, but he will understand you were scared."

JJ brushed her tears away with her other hand, "I just hope he can forgive me," she whispered. "And that he'll want to be a part of his son's life."

Rossi gave a gentle smile and grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to her. "He will in time, the man's got a big heart. And he will definitely want to be a part of his life, you don't have to worry about that."

"Thanks Dave," JJ whispered and finished her drink. "I better go and try to get some more sleep. You should as well."

Rossi nodded and kissed her cheek. "See you in the morning Cara," he said and got up, heading back to the elevators and up to his hotel room.

* * *

Reid stirred when he heard the door open and close. He had heard Rossi leave a little while earlier and had only slept lightly during his absence. He pushed himself up on his elbows, squinting a little in the dark. "Where did you go off to?" He asked.

Rossi sat down on his bed, facing Reid's bed. "I had trouble falling asleep so I decided to get a drink downstairs. Turned out I wasn't the only one," he said.

Reid frowned, "Who?" He asked.

"JJ," Rossi responded and started taking off his shoes.

"Oh…"

"Don't be mad, but she told me what was going on," Rossi said as he set his shoes aside. "She's incredibly sorry Reid, her guilt is weighing heavy on her heart."

Reid felt his jaw tighten a little, slightly upset at Rossi knowing about their situation now. On the other hand, if it had been him at the bar he'd probably have opened up as well. "It's so confusing and upsetting," he admitted. "I mean… she kept this from me for four months, kept my son from me for four months."

Rossi continued to undress before slipping under the covers. "She's equally upset with herself for not telling you sooner and I can understand you're angry at her about that," he said and let out a deep sigh. "But I'm sure you'll be able to forgive her in time."

"I'm not angry," Reid replied, "just disappointed. I missed out on so much, not just the past four months, but his entire life," he sighed. "And I'm sure I will, but it's going to take time."

"Nobody expects you to be okay with everything instantly Reid, she'll accept it is going to take time. But I'm sure she'll do everything in her power to make things up to you."

"I know," Reid replied, his voice dying down to a whisper. "Goodnight Rossi."

"Goodnight Reid."

* * *

The next morning the team was all woken early by a call from the police station. Another body had been found. JJ felt a slight headache as she stood under the hot stream of the shower, ready to start another day. She grabbed a Tylenol and got dressed, heading downstairs to grab a quick breakfast before they had to go.

"Morning," she greeted her colleagues when she arrived at the car. She shot Reid a quick look, noticing he was looking at her. She could sense maybe Rossi hadn't entirely kept his promise about keeping his mouth shut. She gave a soft smile and was happy to receive one in return.

"Okay, Rossi and Reid I want you to head out to the scene, Tara and JJ I want you to go meet the victim's family," Hotch assigned the tasks.

"Family? Does that mean this man wasn't in Vegas alone?" JJ asked, a small frown on her face.

Hotch nodded, "He was out on his own last night, his wife and daughter stayed at the hotel," he explained.

"How old is the daughter?" Tara asked.

"Sixteen," Hotch replied as he got behind the wheel. "You'll take a care at the police station," he said as he drove off.

"Poor girl, no child should ever have to live without their father," Rossi said, sending both of his colleagues a subliminal hint, which didn't go unnoticed by either of them.

"Let's find this woman as soon as we can, put all of this to an end," Hotch sighed.

* * *

 **TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Sorry for taking a little longer this time, but I was trying to figure out some details of the case. Hope you'll enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"Miss Jensen, thank you for coming in so quickly," JJ said as she shook the woman's hand. "I'm agent Jareau. Let's take a seat," she said as she led the victim's wife to the nearest couch in a quiet corner of the police station.

"Mandy," the woman replied before sitting down next to JJ. "What happened to my husband?" She asked, wiping her cheeks away while new ones spilled onto her cheek.

"My team is doing everything they can to figure that out right now," JJ said softly. "From what I've understood you arrived in Las Vegas only yesterday morning?" She asked. Mandy nodded in confirmation. "Can you tell me why your husband was out on his own?"

"My daughter and I were tired and wanted to go to the hotel, but Carl…" she hiccupped, "he said he wanted to get right into the Vegas experience, didn't want to miss a thing," she explained. "So he dropped us off at the hotel and decided to head to the Strip for some gambling. He promised he'd be back in two hours, so when he didn't come back…" she choked, shaking her head a little, "sorry."

JJ shook her head, giving the woman a sympathetic smile, "You don't have to apologize, I'm so sorry for your loss," she said. "Did you try calling him at all yesterday?"

"About a hundred times," Mandy Jensen nodded, "it went straight to voicemail every time so I knew something was up. Carl always picks up the phone when I call."

JJ continued to talk with the victim's wife for another hour before having a local police agent escort her back to the hotel with her daughter. She headed to the layout room and met with Tara who had been talking to the daughter. "So, the wife tells me the victim didn't want to go back to the hotel yet, he dropped them off and said he'd go and gamble for two hours. She tried calling, the phone went straight to voicemail."

Tara nodded, "Sounds about the same as the story I got from the daughter. Can you imagine how worried they must've been last night?" She shook her head a little bit, letting out a deep sigh. "Some things I will never be able to get used to."

"Me neither," JJ sighed and looked up when she saw Rossi and Reid come back into the police station. "Let's go see if they have any information," she suggested.

* * *

"Our UnSub has changed from her pantyhose to a strangle wire," Rossi explained during the briefing. "Seems like she's evolving, becoming more efficient," he added.

"Or maybe she wants to move to a more gruesome manner," Reid interjected, "by using the strangle cord it's almost like cutting someone's throat," he explained. "It could be she is trying to gain confidence. This crime scene was definitely bloody, she could be moving on to other ways to kill."

Hotch let out a sigh, "Which will make it harder for us to determine which victims are hers and which are not," he said as he looked at JJ and Tara. "Any useful information from the victim's family?"

JJ shook her head, "Not really, the wife and daughter were dropped off at the hotel so he could gamble at the Strip, he'd promised to be back two hours later, when he wasn't she tried calling him but it went straight to voicemail."

"So she turned off his phone in order not to be interrupted," Tara suggested, looking around for confirmation.

"Could be," Hotch replied with a nod, before turning to Rossi and Reid again. "Did you find a cellphone at the crime scene?"

They both shook their heads at the same time, "The victim only had his wallet on him, all that was left was his driver's license."

"Garcia, try and see if the phone has become active again and if the credit card has been used," Hotch said as he turned to the computer screen. "She could be becoming careless," he said.

"Let's hope so," Rossi nodded.

* * *

That evening JJ grabbed Reid's arm as they walked towards the hotel. "Can we take a walk?" She asked, looking around to see if anyone had overheard her.

Reid stopped and frowned, "Uhm… are you sure you want to have this conversation here?" He asked.

"I can't help but go crazy Spence, please?" JJ asked, almost pleadingly.

Reid nodded and looked around. "Why don't we go for a drink at that diner across the street?" He suggested. He knew he'd feel more comfortable if he could look into her eyes, which he wouldn't be able to do if they were to walk next to each other.

JJ let out a sigh of relief and followed him, finding a nice quiet table in the corner. She sat opposite him and tried to meet his eyes. "Dave talked to you last night, didn't he?" She asked.

"Briefly," Reid nodded, "Said he'd been talking to you at the bar," he said and paused for a minute so they could order their drink. When they'd done so, he let out a sigh. "He told me you were struggling…"

JJ nodded, "I am," she admitted, her voice breaking as tears threatened to fall. "I am afraid that I broke something that was still so fragile," she whispered.

Reid looked down at his hands for a moment, before reaching out and grabbing hers. "You didn't break it," he whispered, "we've been through so much already, I know we'll get through this as well."

JJ choked when he took her hand, tears spilling onto her cheeks as her heart thudded in her chest. "Oh God Spence, you have no idea how good it is to hear you say that," she admitted.

Reid gave a small smile, "It doesn't mean it's all good now," he admitted, "I'm still disappointed that I missed out on so much," he said.

JJ nodded, "I know," she whispered as she wiped at her cheeks. How could a man have such a big heart, she briefly wondered as she looked deeply into his eyes.

Reid looked back into hers before getting up and sliding into her side of the booth, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close against him. He let out a deep sigh and kissed the top of her head, taking in her smell.

This caused JJ to break down, clinging to him as she cried. All the fear and insecurity seemed to leave her body through the salty liquid. She pulled away after a bit and cupped his cheek. "You're amazing Spence, I'll wonder how I deserved you for the rest of my life," she whispered.

"As I'll do the same thing," he admitted with a small smile, looking up when the waitress brought their order. "Cheers," he said as he raised his glass, "to new beginnings."

"New beginnings," JJ smiled and clinked her glass with his.

* * *

 **TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: It took a while, but here we go. I hope you'll enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"Lovelies, I have good new, I just got a trace on our victim's cellphone, it's being used at the MGM Grand right now," Garcia spoke through their Skype connection, meanwhile showing a map with a bright red dot on it.

The team let out a collective sigh, this seemed like the case was going to be easy after all. "Alright, let's inform the local police and head out there," Hotch said as he looked around at his team members.

"What's the plan exactly? We have no idea what this woman looks like, we have to lure her out somehow," Reid questioned as he looked up at his Unit Chief. "Just going in there with a large group of cops is bound to alarm her and she'll be out before we know who she is.

"She'll most likely drop her phone as well, she's bound to figure out it's what we used to find her," Tara added in agreement. "We need to use someone as a bait."

Hotch nodded, "I can do that," he said.

Rossi couldn't help but snort out a laugh at which Hotch frowned. "Sorry Aaron, but you've got cop written all over you, besides, you don't look like a tourist."

Hotch nodded a bit and looked around the rest of the team, "Who do you suggest?"

"Me," Rossi replied matter-of-factly. "I mean, I can pass as an Italian tourist, I'll use my best accent, draw some attention around a few tables," he started, "I'll be obvious with spending money so she'll be lured out, she won't be able to resist. Once we know who she is… you guys can move in."

"I'll go and find a wire for you," JJ said as she headed out the door to grab the equipment Rossi would need as well as the rest of the team to be able to stay in touch as they'd take their hiding spots throughout the hotel casino. Garcia would be able to keep them up to date if their suspect were to move.

* * *

"Has everybody got eyes on me?" Rossi asked as he sat down at one of the many fruit machines. When he got affirmations from Hotch, Tara, JJ and Reid he nodded a bit to himself. "I'm going to move to the poker table," he said softly and stood up, grabbing his scotch.

He stood watching for a little before a spot opened up. "Mind if I join?" He asked. The people around the table nodded and waited for him to sit down.

"Are you familiar with the game?" A tall man asked, a frown of worry on his face as he looked at the seemingly tipsy Italian.

"Oh il mio uomo, back in my town I play this every week," Rossi grinned as he scooted some chips to the middle of the table. "I raise you two thousand."

"I've got eyes on a redhead, she's been watching the table for a while now," JJ said as she slowly walked a little closer, to see if she could see the woman looking at Rossi directly.

She met eyes with Tara for a moment before looking at the woman again, who was now moving over to the table Rossi was at.

"Hi there," the redhead spoke huskily as she placed a hand on Rossi's shoulder.

Rossi turned and flashed her one of his charming smiles. "Well hello there bellezza," he said and shifted a little so she could stand closer. "Can I get you anything to drink?" He asked.

The woman nodded and bit her lower lip seductively. She leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I'd love a martini," she said.

"Coming up," Rossi grinned as he stepped out to the bar, giving the rest of the team time to move in.

Hotch was the first to move, grabbing the woman's arm and pressing it behind her back, "Ma'am, we need you to come with us," he said calmly bit firmly as he started leading her away from the table.

"What the hell is going on, who are you?" The woman asked, yelling, as she tried to free herself from the grasp Hotch had on her.

"FBI," Hotch all but growled as he managed to get her outside and into one of the cars that was waiting. "I'll meet you at the station," he told the others as he got into the SUV with a local policeman.

Reid turned to Rossi, "Good job," he said and looked over at JJ, seeing relief on her face. This case seemed to be coming to an end. He had an inkling it wasn't, but he wasn't about to share that with the others, still hoping his feeling wasn't right.

* * *

It was, however, as it turned out less than an hour later. Garcia reported the GPS tracker was moving around a suburb of Las Vegas, while the woman they thought was their UnSub was in custody.

"But she still could have given the phone to someone else," Tara suggested, not ready to accept that they had the wrong woman.

Hotch let out a deep sigh as he shook his head, "Miss McCain has an alibi for two other murders," he sighed. "I guess she was just genuinely flirting with Dave," he said. "Garcia will keep track of the GPS, let's call it a night for now," he suggested.

Back at the hotel Reid knew he wanted to talk to JJ. He grabbed his phone to shoot her a short message. 'Meet me in the lobby?'

His phone beeped almost immediately as her response came through, 'on my way'.

He excused himself and headed down, seeing JJ in a faraway corner on one of the couches. He smiled as he approached her, sitting next to her. "Hey," he whispered, feeling shy all of a sudden.

"Hi," JJ whispered in return, a small blush on her cheeks.

"I uhm… I think I'm done keeping my distance," Reid spoke softly, even though he knew he hadn't kept that much distance. "It's not fair when I'm upset over missing months and then staying away even longer on my own accord," he said.

JJ shook her head, "That's different Spence, you can take all the time you need," she said gently as she grabbed his hand.

"I know, but I don't want to. I don't want to miss one more day of his life," Reid said and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He wanted to say more, but was interrupted by JJ.

"How are we going to go about that though?" She asked, "I mean, you're always welcome, you know that, but you won't be there all the time…"

"Why not?" Reid asked as he let out a nervous chuckle, "I know this might sound completely nuts, but my lease is almost up… I… I want to move in," he admitted, not daring to look up into her eyes. He knew it was fast, but he could only hope she wouldn't think so.

JJ felt her eyes widen slightly, "Move in?" She asked, stuttering slightly. "I uhm… are you sure you'd be ready for that?" She asked, not thinking about herself for a moment. "You love being on your own, you need your space," she whispered.

"I'm sure I'll manage," Reid shrugged, "JJ I want to be there to bring him to bed, read him stories. I want to be there when he wakes up in the middle of the night, I want to go and wake him up, take him to the park… I want to be there for him, for them," he said, turning on the couch to face her, grabbing both of her hands.

JJ couldn't help but smile at his sweet words, a few tears burning in her eyes as she nodded. "Let's do it then," she whispered, smiling at him. "Move in with me."

Reid couldn't help but match her smile, leaning in and capturing her lips. "I love you JJ," he whispered. "Granted I'm still upset, but I love you and I know the hurt will fade in time."

JJ swallowed the lump in her throat, hearing he was still hurt pained her, but she couldn't blame him. "I know, I love you too Spence, so very much," she whispered and kissed him again. "We'll make it work, I know we will."

"We will," Reid agreed, "because that's the thing about constants, they're always going to be there."

* * *

 **TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: It has been way too long since I updated this, I have no excuse. Please let me know what you think._

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

A couple of days later the team was on the jet back to Quantico, having solved the case in Las Vegas quicker than they imagined they would. Reid was sitting across from JJ, who was sleeping. He took a moment to admire her features and couldn't help but feel a soft smile tug at the corner of his lips, something that didn't go unnoticed by Rossi on the other side of the aisle.

Rossi shot Reid a look and gave him a small nod, having a feeling things were starting to develop into the right direction for his two close friends. He was genuinely happy for the two of them, and happy for Reid he had only missed a couple of months of his son's life, instead of missing years like he had with his daughter.

It took the jet another two hours to finally descend onto the airstrip, the sensation making JJ wake up. She stretched and rubbed her eyes, noticing Reid was looking at her. She threw him a shy smile, receiving one in return. They hadn't discussed the topic of living together again in the last couple of days, and she needed to know if he was still sure about it. She decided to have a talk with him when the others had left.

She lingered behind as she grabbed her go bag and noticed Reid was lingering behind as well. He'd probably sensed she wanted to talk. "Hi," she smiled as she slung the bag over her shoulder. "Feels good to be home again," she said, starting their conversation.

Reid nodded, "It does, so uhm… about that…" he started and rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to bring it up. Telling her he wanted to move in with her had been a spur of the moment decision, and he was starting to wonder if it would be the right choice for them right now. "Do you think it'll be okay?" He asked, "What do we tell Henry?"

JJ let out a deep sigh and reached out to take his hand, hoping he wouldn't pull away from the idea right now. "I know Henry will be more than okay when we tell him you're coming to live with us. He won't ask questions right away so we'll have some time to think about what we want to tell him."

Reid squeezed her hand gently and nodded again, "Alright, let's do it then. Shall I swing by my place and grab some essentials for a few days? My lease isn't up for another month so maybe we could see how this works for the next couple of days?"

"Sounds like a very good idea," JJ nodded and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I'll head home and get started on dinner, I'll see you soon then," she said and turned around to walk to her government issued SUV.

* * *

"Spence!" Henry yelled as he opened the door for his godfather. His mom had told him his godfather was coming to stay for a few nights and the little boy was beyond excited for their sleepover. "Are you going to be sleeping in my room uncle Spence?" He asked.

Reid hugged the boy tightly before looking up at JJ, not sure how to respond. "I think I'll take the guest room Henry," he smiled gently, ruffling the boy's hair. "I have heard you do snore quite a bit," he teased as the little boy shook his head.

JJ looked at Henry, "Spence isn't going to fit in your room sweetheart, but he'll be right next door in the guestroom."

Reid looked up at JJ with a smile, mouthing a 'thank you' for helping him get out of this situation. He continued to look at her briefly, hoping he hadn't said anything wrong when he suggested the guestroom. For now, this would be the appropriate thing to do, so they could gradually ease into everything.

When JJ threw him a smile in return he knew he had assessed the situation correctly. "So anything I can help you with for dinner?" He asked.

JJ shook her head, "Why don't you spend some time with Michael?" She suggested.

Reid swallowed nervously and nodded, "I can do that," he replied as he headed into the living room. Michael was in his play pen and coo'd when he saw Reid.

Reid lifted the little boy and went to sit on the couch, grabbing a small book with all kinds of animals and fur to touch. "Shall we read a little story?" He asked as he held the little boy a bit closer than usual. He kissed the top of his head, closing his eyes briefly as he took in the scent of the boy's hair. He had a hard time believing this little boy was actually his, his son. He swallowed the emotion in his throat before looking up when Henry sat next to him on the couch.

"You okay uncle Spence?" Henry asked, looking at his godfather with concern in his eyes. He'd never seen his godfather cry, and seeing tears now confused him.

Reid smiled gently at Henry and nodded, "Yeah, I'm alright buddy," he replied and wrapped his arm around the boy. "Wanna help read a story to your brother?" He asked.

Henry nodded and started reading, Reid helping him out with a few words whenever necessary. He couldn't help but wonder how they were going to tell Henry about everything. How could they explain that Reid was his godfather, but Michael's real father? How would he feel about Reid moving in?

Michael fussing in his arms brought him back to reality a bit, "You getting hungry little man?" He asked as he bounced the boy on his leg.

"We're eating spaghetti uncle Spence, spaghetti and meat balls!" Henry said excitedly. "And mommy cuts up tiny bits for Michael as well, it's his favorite!"

"Is it now? What a coincidence, isn't it your favorite too?" He asked as Henry nodded vigorously.

"It's my favorite too," Reid said and winked at the little boy. "Shall we go see if your mommy is done?" He asked, standing up, holding Michael to his chest as he walked into the kitchen.

JJ looked up as she heard footsteps. She couldn't help but smile lovingly as she saw Reid holding Michael. Things felt right and she was happy. Morgan had been right when he'd come over before their case, Michael really did look like Reid.

"Dinner is almost ready," she smiled as she watched Reid put Michael in his high chair. She grabbed the salad and put it on the table before turning back to the stove. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around his waist, but they would need to talk to Henry about things first. She planned to discuss everything with Reid once the boys would be in bed. The sooner they got things into the open, the better it would be.

"Alright, let's eat!" She smiled as she put everything on the table. Things felt right, finally.

* * *

 _TBC_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: It's been too long... hope you'll enjoy anyway :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

JJ let out a deep sigh as she plopped down on the couch next to Reid that evening. "Henry is overjoyed that you're staying the night, he just didn't want to go down," she chuckled lightly.

Reid smiled sheepishly, "I'm quite excited myself," he admitted and locked eyes with her. He grabbed her hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles absentmindedly. "I know that this doesn't really count as taking things slow anymore," he whispered and shook his head a bit, "but I think it feels right…"

Looking down at their joined hands JJ nodded, "it does," she replied in a soft whisper. "I'm really glad you're here," she added and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "So uhm… what do we do now?" She asked.

"To be honest, I have no idea," Reid admitted and untangled his hand from hers so he could wrap his arm around her. "I don't know if you remember, but I'm not the greatest with kids," he teased lightly.

JJ playfully swatted his chest before resting her head against his shoulder. "I beg to differ," she chuckled and leaned up, kissing his cheek. She sighed again and closed her eyes briefly, tucking her head under Reid's chin. "I have no idea what to tell him, it'll all be so confusing for him," she whispered.

Reid pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes, "do we have to tell him everything right away?" He questioned. "I mean… what if we just tell him about me moving in here? We can take our time to figure out how to tell him the rest…"

"I think that might be best, yeah," JJ agreed and threw him a soft smile. "It's gonna be quite useful to have a genius around the house," she teased.

Reid's lips formed a small surprised 'o' before he tickled her playfully. "Trust me, I'm not easy to live with," he replied. He'd meant it as a small tease, but JJ could hear the serious undertone.

"Spence…" she started and shook her head slowly.

"I was just joking Jayje," he replied and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure you're not a breeze either," he grinned.

JJ was glad he lightened the mood again and this time it was her turn to tickle his sides. "I think we're going to be just fine," she smiled and snuggled close, kissing his cheek.

"I know we are," was his response as he softly cupped her cheek, leaning down for a gentle kiss. "Because I love you," he whispered against her lips before deepening the kiss.

"I love you too," JJ whispered before straddling him, the kiss turning more urgent as she started to unbutton his shirt.

Reid gently grabbed hold of her hands, pulling away slightly, panting lightly. "I don't think we should be doing this here Jayje," he whispered. "What if Henry comes down?"

JJ nodded, "You're right," she replied and climbed off his lap again, immediately missing their intimate contact. She wanted nothing more than to take this man upstairs to her bedroom, but she knew he was right. This was probably not the smartest idea with a little uninformed boy around the house.

Reid gently brushed some hair behind her ear and gave her one last soft kiss. "I think it's best we wait with any intimacy until Henry knows what's going on," he whispered, even though it was very hard to restrain himself.

"I know you're right, and I hate that you are," JJ chuckled softly, her hand caressing his chest. "So… we'll tell him about you moving in tomorrow then?"

Reid nodded, "I'll make his favorite pancakes for breakfast, make sure he'll go easy on me," he teased. "Do you think I need to ask him for your hand in case I want to marry you in the future?"

"Be serious Spence," JJ giggled. "I think we have nothing to worry about," she added and sighed.

"I don't think so either," Reid replied and pulled her against his side again, kissing the top of her head. "So, what do you want to do now?"

A tiny frustrated moan escaped JJ's lips, "you know what I want to do," she replied, a grin on her face before she laughed it off. "How about a movie?"

"Hmm, that was second on my list as well," Reid replied.

* * *

Reid had kept true to his promise and at 8 in the morning was busying himself in the kitchen to prepare some pancakes. JJ and the boys were still upstairs, and he figured he'd let them sleep a little while longer.

He grabbed a mug and filled it to the brim with coffee and sugar, taking a sip as he flipped another pancake on the griddle.

JJ woke up only a few minutes later, smelling the coffee and the pancakes. She grabbed her robe and put it on, heading down the stairs. "I could get used to this," she smiled as she walked into the kitchen. She wrapped her arm around Reid's waist and leaned up to kiss him good morning.

"Good, I intend to do this more often in the future," was Reid's reply. "Why don't you grab yourself some coffee and wait for breakfast to be finished?" He asked.

"Hmm, sounds good, but I should get the boys out of bed and ready," she replied and yawned behind her hand. "After that, definitely coffee," she chuckled.

Reid grinned and took another sip of his coffee and nodded, "I'll see you guys down here soon then," he replied and poured some fresh batter on the griddle.

A few minutes later Reid was met with the excited shriek of his godson. "Uncle Spence! Pancakes!" It was hard to tell what the boy was more excited about at this time as he sat down at the table.

Reid grabbed the pancakes with a grin and set them on the table. "Good morning Henry," he smiled and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Good morning Michael," he added as he looked up, seeing JJ with his son in her arms. He couldn't help but smile when the boy cooed at him.

JJ smiled lovingly as she put Michael in the high chair, sitting down next to him. She grabbed a pancake and cut it up into tiny pieces, putting it on the tray in front of the little boy. She then grabbed two pancakes, ready to prepare them for Henry. When she looked up, however, she could see Reid was already preparing Henry's plate. She added another one to the stack to fix her own plate. "These look amazing Spence," she said gently.

"Thanks Jayje, they're actually one of the few things I know how to cook," Reid chuckled as he gave the finished plate to Henry. "Oh, this and mac and cheese."

Saying the latter earned him a bright smile from his godson. "Can we have mac and cheese tonight mommy?" Henry asked enthusiastically before stuffing a bit of pancakes in his mouth.

JJ let out a sigh and rolled her eyes, looking at Reid, her glance saying 'thank you' in a sarcastic manner.

Reid couldn't do anything but shrug and smile sheepishly before taking a bite of his own pancakes. "I think we need something green on the menu for tonight Henry," he said afterwards, earning him a bright smile from JJ.

"So Henry… Spence and I have something we'd like to talk to you about," JJ started and looked up at her oldest son. "You know how Uncle Spence stayed here last night?" She asked. When the boy nodded with a wide smile, she continued. "What would you think if he stayed here every night?"

Henry frowned for a moment and looked between his mother and godfather. "Like daddy?" He asked, a little confused.

JJ nodded, "something like that, yes," she replied and bit her lower lip.

Reid wasn't sure if he should say something or if he would only make things more complicated. "I love you and your mommy very much Henry, I want to be here every day," he explained.

Henry looked up at Reid and then at his little brother, "And Michael?"

"Him too, very much," Reid replied and let out a deep sigh. "Is that okay for you Henry?"

Henry seemed to take a moment to think, then he shrugged and nodded, taking another bite of his pancakes.

Reid looked at JJ with relief and threw her a gentle smile. This had gone over pretty good. He then got up and grabbed the pot of coffee. "You want another one?" He asked JJ. At her nod he poured her a cup, leaning down to kiss her temple affectionately, feeling at least a little bit free to do so now.

"Eww uncle Spence, no kissy," Henry replied and shook his head, "kissies are yuck," he said, speaking from his kindergarten experience.

JJ chuckled a bit, "that's what you do when you love someone Henry, you kiss them, I kiss you and Michael all the time, don't I?"

Henry shrugged and nodded. JJ smiled, "are you okay with me kissing Spence too?"

When her son nodded again, she smiled gently and got up, kissing the top of his head. "I love you Henry," she smiled before turning and kissing Michael's head, "and you too Michael," she added and then walked around to the other side of the table, "and you Spence," she whispered before giving him a soft kiss.

The only thing that could be heard now was Henry's 'eww' and Michael's excited coo. And for once, those sounds seemed to be in the background as her lips met Reid's again in a gentle kiss, a kiss full of promises.

* * *

 **TBC**


End file.
